The Lyons’ family story is one that centers on land, site and action. Together with their community of allies, they were stalwarts for equity, freedom, social justice and progress in a time when the stakes were at their highest. In Land/Site/Legacy, the work of invited speakers, Dr. Justin Dunnavant, Tomashi Jackson, and Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah, is connected to notions of land, site specificity, and community. The conversation will consider each of the panelists’ path-breaking work and strategies in visual art, archaeology, music and their intersections. Curated and hosted by Niama Safia Sandy (curator, artist and educator), this conversation is part of Harnessing History: Tracing the Legacy of the Lyons Family, a series inviting artists, scholars, and community activists to reflect on the Lyons family commitment to justice, civic and political engagement. Each conversation seeks to connect to an element of the Lyons family’s story and tease out the family legacy within the context of the art and history of the contemporary moment. As part of DCLA's (Public Art as Community Engagement) PACE pilot program, these conversations will explore and unpack themes and issues that will inform the proposed monument on the perimeter of Central Park commemorating the Lyons family. The event is part of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art as Community Engagement (PACE) program and is organized by groove works, founded and led by Niama Safia Sandy. It is supported by the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, and funded by the Ford Foundation, The JPB Foundation, the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, and the Mellon Foundation. Learn more: https://on.nyc.gov/HarnessingHistory